Warragamba, New South Wales

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Warragamba | state = nsw | image = | caption = | image_alt = | relief = | coordinates = {{coord|33|53|30|S|150|36|12|E|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_label_position = left | map_alt = | pop = 1241 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name=Census /> | poprank = | density = | density_footnotes = | established = | established_footnotes = | abolished = | gazetted = | postcode = 2752 | elevation = 178 | elevation_footnotes = | area = | area_footnotes = | timezone = | utc = | timezone-dst = | utc-dst = | dist1 = 69 | dir1 = W | location1 = Sydney | lga = Wollondilly Shire | region = | county = | stategov = Wollondilly | fedgov = Hume | url = | maxtemp = | maxtemp_footnotes = | mintemp = | mintemp_footnotes = | rainfall = | rainfall_footnotes = | near-n = ''Megalong Valley'' | near-ne = Wallacia | near-e = Wallacia | near-se = Silverdale | near-s = Silverdale | near-sw = Silverdale | near-w = ''Megalong Valley'' | near-nw = ''Megalong Valley'' | near = | footnotes = }}

'''Warragamba''' is a town in New South Wales, Australia, in Wollondilly Shire. Located on the eastern edge of the Blue Mountains, Warragamba is one and a half hour's drive west of Sydney. The name Warragamba comes from the aboriginal words ''Warra'' and ''Gamba'' meaning 'water running over rocks'.<ref>[http://www.warragambaparish.org.au/includes/history_page.htm Warragamba Parish History]</ref>

== History == In 1804, George William Evans became the first white man to discover the Warragamba River, penetrating upstream to the present site of Warragamba Dam.<ref>{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=A. K. |last=Weatherburn |title=George William Evans (1780–1852) |id2=evans-george-william-2029 |year=1966 |volume=1 |access-date=23 August 2025}}</ref>

However, for Indigenous peoples, the river and the valley were an integral part of daily life, and remain today a significant place of cultural heritage.

Originally constructed as a workers' settlement during the construction of Warragamba Dam, Sydney's primary water source, in the 1940s the modern town of Warragamba remains on the same site adjacent the dam. The town was built from scratch, including homes, shops, schools and other facilities.

On completion of the dam being built many workers bought their homes from the Water Board and stayed on in the township.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/rn/hindsight/index/subjects_History_-_20th_Century_2006.htm A Valley Lost – Building Warragamba]</ref> Warragamba Public School celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in September 1998 despite the fact it was to be demolished after the completion of Warragamba Dam in the 1960s.<ref>[http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LA19980923013 WARRAGAMBA PUBLIC SCHOOL FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY]</ref>

Warragamba is unusual for an Australian town, as the streets do not have typical names, but are numbered (such as First Street and Eighteenth Street). [[File:Warragamba Dam, NSW.jpg|left|thumb|Warragamba Dam in Warragamba]] Ongoing dam works (including recent safety improvements) have severely reduced weekend visitors. The town also lost 30 homes and businesses in the 2001 Warragamba bushfires. It was home to African Lion Safari until 1991.

A new Warragamba Dam Visitor Centre and Haviland Park are becoming a popular tourist attractions thanks in part to the excellent picnic facilities.

== Heritage listings == Lake Burragorang Warragamba Dam has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: * Coxs River Arms: Coxs River track<ref name=nswshr-1372>{{cite NSW SHR|5051480|Track|hr=01372|fn=EF14/4460; 495004|accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref> *Warragamba Dam<ref name="nswshr-1376">{{cite NSW SHR|5051484|Warragamba Emergency Scheme|hr=01376|fn=125196|accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref> ** Warragamba Dam: Megarritys Bridge<ref name="nswshr-1367">{{cite NSW SHR|5051476|Megarritys Bridge|hr=01367|fn=465194|accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref> ** Warragamba Dam: Warragamba Dam – Haviland Park<ref name="nswshr-1375">{{cite NSW SHR|5051483|Warragamba Dam – Haviland Park|hr=01375|fn=S91/00061/3|accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref>

== Population == At the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Warragamba had a population of 1,241. 85.4% of people were born in Australia and 92.4% of people only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 31.8%, Anglican 26.4% and No Religion 25.6%.<ref name=Census>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC14158|name=Warragamba |accessdate=13 July 2017|quick=on}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category|Warragamba, New South Wales}} * [http://www.warragamba.net.au/ Warragamba Website – Local and Tourist Information] * [http://warragambaweather.info/ Warragamba weather info – Local weather station]

Category:Warragamba, New South Wales Category:Towns in New South Wales Category:Wollondilly Shire